Good Times 2

The second Nuphonic compilation dedicated to transferring the spirit of Joey and Norman Jay's Notting Hill-based Good Times Sound System to disc is another fine smattering of party-worthy music that spans several genres and decades. With plenty of room to flex across two discs, the Jays run through a little bit of Philly soul (the O'Jays' "For the Love of Money," Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes' "The Love I Lost") some classic disco (Larry Levan's crucial mix of Inner Life's "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," Sylvester's "Over and Over," Side Effect's overlooked "Always There"), a couple shades of reggae (the Ethiopians' "The Whip," Leroy Smart's "Ballistic Affair"), hip-hop (Young MC's "Know How," UMC's' "One to Grow On"), and plenty of newer acts that throw several styles into the stew (a Masters at Work remix of Nuyorican Soul's "It's Alright, I Feel It," an extended mix of Young Disciples' "All I Have in Me," Nitin Sawhney's "Breating Light"). As with most everything else released by Nuphonic, the physical package is a delight, including plenty of photos and notes on several songs from Norman. One would have to have an extremely voracious appetite for music to love everything here, not to mention an ear for the rare, but it's all but impossible to not get swept up in the open-minded, all-inclusive mindset that the Jays have clearly remained in for a number of decades now.